


Day 1 - Parent/Childhood

by MaxRev



Series: Kaidan Alenko Appreciation 2017 [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Childhood Memories, Coma, Dreaming, Gen, Injury, Waking Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-10 21:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12920673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxRev/pseuds/MaxRev
Summary: Takes place after Mars when Kaidan is first in Huerta from his injuries.





	Day 1 - Parent/Childhood

**Author's Note:**

> These were written/created for [Kaidan Alenko appreciation week](https://spectrekaidanalenko.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, memories played through Kaidan’s mind. One of them from childhood stood out stronger than the rest.

* * *

He was sitting on his father’s lap, flames crackling in the fireplace. It was Christmas. The details were so vivid now. A tree was lit up in the corner, glittering with colored lights as they chased each other along the string. His mother had let him help hang ornaments as high as he could reach and then his dad had lifted him up onto strong, broad shoulders to put the angel on top.

The smell of freshly baked cookies drifted through the house, a tea kettle whistling as his mother rushed to take it off the stove. Kaidan swore he could taste the arm apple cider even now. He’d been six years old at the time and wondered why there was a second giant stack of gifts by the door.

“Papa? Why aren’t those presents under the tree?”

“Because they’re for somebody else, Kaidan. Our gifts are under the tree.”

Large brown eyes opened wide, taking in the tall pile before coming back to his father. “That’s a lot of presents for one person!”

His father smiled, “They’re children who have no home, no mama or papa. We bought gifts for them.”

Kaidan’s face scrunched up, his little boy’s mind deep in thought. Finally, he spoke up, “Why don’t they have a home? Or a mama or papa?”

“Sometimes things just happen, Kaidan. Your mom and I wanted those children to have gifts this Christmas. Would you like to help us give them out?”

Kaidan’s eyes lit up as bright as the lights on the Christmas tree, “I would! Can we go now?”

His father smiled at his willingness to help as Kaidan twisted around and looked at his mother, “Please, mama?”

Smiling at her son, so kind and willing to help at such a young age, she told him, “Not yet. We’ll eat dinner first and then go.”

The next couple of hours felt like the longest ones ever. Food disappeared off his plate and as soon as everyone was done, he ran to get his coat, impatiently throwing it on while bouncing up and down. “Can we go now?”

His parents chuckled at his enthusiasm, his mother squatting down to dress him more warmly. There was snow on the ground now and it was cold out. Kaidan’s small body squirmed as his mother bundled him up, “Stay still, _baobei_!”

“Too many clothes, mama. Let’s go already!”

In the background, Aleks was trying not to laugh at his son. “Grace, we’ll be in the car most of the time. Don’t smother him.”

“I just don’t want him getting sick.”

Finally, his mother was finished. Kaidan felt like the snowman he’d made with his papa earlier, all round and fat. He was much happier when his papa dressed him to go outside. At least then, he could still move. Pleading eyes looked over his mother’s shoulder at his father. All he received was a warm smile and a shrug of the shoulders.

Taking his hand, his mother led him outside, his father following behind them. Once inside the truck, his child’s frustration was whisked away, eyes opening big as saucers to see the bag of presents he got to sit next to. It looked like the pile inside the bag had grown.

“Let’s go, papa. Hurry!” Laughter filled the truck from both of his parents.

Kaidan tried to pay attention to where they were going, but kept getting distracted by the pile of presents next to him.

He wondered about the children the presents were for. If they had no homes, no mamas or papas, who cooked for them? Where did they go to school? Did they have a place to play? He was so sure they were luckier than he was. They didn’t have to go to bed early and they could eat whatever they wanted or watch cartoons all day long and not get in trouble.

The truck slowed down, coming to a stop in front of a tall brick building. Kaidan started to get worried; it looked scary in there. His father grabbed the bag of presents as his mother grabbed his hand. Once inside, Kaidan tried to look everywhere at once. It was so dark in here, kind of scary.

A group of children were all sitting around the biggest tree Kaidan had ever seen. He kept looking up and up and up. It didn’t have lights like his and there were strands of popcorn and paper strung all around it. The ornaments were made out of paper. Kaidan loved it!

He helped his parents hand out the presents to children of all ages, some his age, some older and some younger. They all looked different and acted different. Some of them were bold and some were shy. Some talked very fast and others didn’t say much. Kaidan found himself sticking close to his mother, overwhelmed by all that was going on. Until he heard a sound and looked away.

A small boy stood across the room, a baby really, as Kaidan himself was a big boy now at the age of six. He was all by himself, looking down at the floor. He looked so lonely. Kaidan looked at the dwindling pile of presents, his eyes meeting his mother’s as she handed him a small one. Her eyes looked at the boy across the room and back at the present and then at Kaidan. She understood.

Walking over shyly, Kaidan waited for the little boy to look up. Kind brown eyes met startlingly bright blue ones, his short dark hair making them seem brighter. Kaidan held out the gift and waited for the little boy to take it. At first, those blue eyes just stared at the gift and then back at Kaidan, unsure if it was really for him. Waiting patiently, the boy finally took the gift and Kaidan showed him how to open the paper.

The boy’s face was transformed when he saw his gift. A toy truck. He smiled wide and looked at Kaidan with such happiness, right before he wrapped his little arms around him in a hug. Hesitating for only a second, Kaidan hugged him back.

* * *

Struggling for consciousness, Kaidan heard several low-pitched voices, one of them familiar. A voice that soothed him in his anxiousness. Another memory surfaced…a man close to his own age, strong, commanding. A man with startlingly vivid blue eyes. He reached out desperately, unsure if his arm even moved. Then the darkness came to pull him back under.

Before it dragged him down, he thought he heard quiet words, “Don’t die, Kaidan. We need you in this.” Followed by a whispered, “I need you.”


End file.
